2013 NFL SEASON: AFC EAST PREVIEW

1. New England

2. Miami

3. Buffalo

4. NY Jets

 

I'm not going to spend that much time analyzing the AFC East. Only one team will make the playoffs.

It won't be the Jets. Too much drama surrounding the head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez. I still can't believe that Sanchez led the Jets to a total of 4 playoff wins in the two seasons where they appeared in the AFC Title Game. Last season the quarterback situation was awful. This season it has progressed to abysmal. Sanchez has a career record of 32-28. After that it's former Notre Dame quarterback and NFL journeyman Brady Quinn who has a career record of 4-16. Then you have rookies Matt Simms and Geno Smith. Because of a Sanchez pre-season injury against the Giants, Geno Smith is the team's Week 1 starter against the Buccaneers. The best hope for this franchise is to hope it bottoms out and completely overhauls the team.

Most importantly for the Jets...

The Chan Gailey Error in Buffalo is over. While the Bills have fantasy standout running back C.J. Spiller... that's about it. The quarterback situation is no better than the Jets. Heading into Week 1, the Bills are starting rookie E.J. Manuel under center. For the Bills to have some hope, they need to invent a time machine and set it to 1 September 1990. Just remember this one rule of time travel: Kill Hitler Don't divulge information about the future...

Unless you plan to profit from it.

Oh and you MIGHT want to tell Marv Levy to drive a LITTLE closer when he gets into field goal range.

The Dolphins have been generating some buzz as a possible playoff team. If they were in another division, I might buy into it. There was a fourth rookie quarterback drafted in the first round last season: Ryan Tannehill. Some are expecting that Tannehill will take the next step especially with the addition of wide receiver Mike Wallace and lead the Dolphins to their first playoff appearance since 2008. Division champions take up four of the six playoff spots in the AFC. Spoiler: my AFC division champs for 2013 are New England, Baltimore, Houston, and Denver. I see at most five teams in the AFC fighting for the last two playoff spots. Miami could be one of those teams in 2013, but I don't see them making the playoffs.

So... my pick for the AFC East is New England.

Boy... talk about roster turnover....

And that is before you talk about Wes Welker's departure to Denver.

I foresee the Patriots will win the AFC East handily. They still have head coach The Devil Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. If the new receiving corps gels, the Patriots could be back in the NFLs final four.